Emergency Management Agency

EMA #1010 Fiscal Year 2008 Budget

I would like to start by letting the new members of the budget committee and the returning members of the budget committee know that the FY2008 EMA Departments budget request for $154,564 in wages, benefits and operating expenses will be matched by Emergency Management Program Grant funds requested from FEMA by the State. This means the citizens of Oxford County will pay only $77,282.00 to staff and operate the County EMA Office. Put another way, our county population is 54,755 which translates to each person in Oxford County paying approximately $1.40 a year to ensure the County has a fully staffed County Emergency Management Agency.
As you look at this year's EMA budget, the major increase lies in the new full time EMA Assistant approved in FY2007. The funding for this position for FY2007 allowed for a half year of wages beginning in July 2007. In 2008 this position will be funded for the full year, thereby increasing wages $11,890.00 to cover the second half of 2008 which in turn honors the FY2007 decision to create this position within the county. MEMA requests our next year’s budget on 15 July each year. MEMA has approved the proposed Oxford County EMA 2008 matching fund budget.
 
#3000 Personnel

#1 Request increase in wages of EMA Director from 35 hour week to 40 hour week.

This request is being made because the EMA Director is currently working 40+ hours per week. The EMA Director has been in his position for over 24 months. He has been tracking the actual hours required to meet all the requirements weekly. Keep in mind his work week is spread out over seven days each week and into the evening on many days. This is due to development of an exercise and drill program, a local EMA program, a volunteer development program and supporting the 5 county firefighter association meetings. In addition, maintaining federal requirements within the County by implementing the National Incident Management System, developing/managing a regional sheltering system, supporting the planning efforts by towns/schools/dams/special populations and managing the county Local Emergency Planning Committee. This change would increase the EMA Directors wages by $5445.00 dollars a year. The increase to the county tax payers will be $2723.00.

#2 Request increase in wages of the Office Manager from 35 to 37.5 hour week.

This request if being made because the Office Manager has been working an additional
2.5 hours a week. This is due to additional hours being put in each week in support of the many events occurring during regular hours and after regular hours. The Office Manager supports all the events listed above in many ways. Her weekly time sheets over the past 12 months have captured this data. She has been taking comp time for the additional hours she has been working over the past 12 months, which in turn increases her work load due to time lost. This change would increase the Office Managers base salary by $1841.00 dollars a year. The increase to the county tax payers will be $921.00.

#3 Explanations for new persons funding for full year of work vs. half year of work.

To approve the request for additional staffing in the EMA office FY2007, it was decided that the individual would begin in July, thereby reducing the increase in the first year and lessening the impact on the FY2007 budget. In FY2008 this individual will be funded for a full year at a 35 hour work week. This requires full wages to be allocated this year of $23,778.00. The increase to the county tax payer will be $11,889.00.

#4100 Travel Expenses

The EMA office is requesting an increase of $1,100 in the categories of travel, meals and lodging. This request is due to an additional staff person on board this year and meeting our increasing EMA responsibilities to the State, County and Local Municipalities. These dollars will be used to support attendance at the Annual Maine State County Commissioners Conference, quarterly Maine State EMA Council Meetings, and Maine State Fire Association Conference, Local EMA meetings across the county, Multiple Fire Chief Association meeting monthly and other yearly training and workshop events. The increase to the county tax payer will be $550.

#4200 Operation/County Vehicles

Oxford County EMA/ARES has developed a new mobile capability to support the counties emergency operations plan. This trailer and supporting equipment were obtained using Homeland Security funds in 2007. Having acquired this capability and having used it for several events (2007 Fryeburg Exercise) within the county over the past 12 months, we have determined that operating dollars necessary to keep this trailer and contents in proper operating order each year is $500. The increase to the county tax payer will be $250.

#4800 General Operating Expenses

This increase of $15.00 is due to an increase in Maine State EMA Council dues.

#5300 Supplies

This increase of $1000 in disaster supplies (food, masks, gloves, etc) is to meet the needs of the County EMA/EOC during yearly disaster situations. Another way to look at this is if Oxford County is declared a Federal Disaster, as in 2005 and 2007, and the county bill was $10,000 for (food, masks, gloves, etc) we would already have the counties required 10% set aside.  If there is no disaster we can start acquiring supplies that we currently do not have on hand for a disaster situation. The actual increase to the county tax payer will be $500.

#5400 Clothing

The Oxford County EMA staff is now engaged in public meetings and many public events. We are a professional organization and plan to look professional as we go out to represent Oxford County at different events. To do this we have put $300 dollars in the budget for shirts, hats, and vests to meet the needs of the staff. The increase to the county tax payer is $150.